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Shoot a live sports event that you are not able to control. Examples include baseball, soccer, football, volleyball, hockey and many more. Shoot at least 72 photos and choose 7 to process, crop and turn in.

As you shoot, look for subject matter and moments which help tell the story of the teams and the game itself. Actions shots of game play are required, but what other angles might help to inform the viewer about the drama of the event? Seek those opportunities as well.

You will turn in a flash drive on Nov. 1st with this project and the portrait project on it, containing all raw and jpeg choices for each assignment.

You will be graded on the following:

25pts. Completion of the assignment in form and concept
25pts. Attention to timing to show the subject clearly
25pts. Control of exposure and sharpness to show detail and create mood
25pts. Use of the elements of composition to communicate clearly and intentionally

Now that we have the tools and processes figured out, let’s make some photographs. For real. Create a photo essay for publication on Cougar News (official) or Canyon Call (unofficial). You will work to reveal an objective but interesting viewpoint within a story which you choose. Your coverage must be visually interesting while fitting both the aesthetic of the subject matter, and your own personal style.

A comprehensive set of images should work just as a film does to provide an establishing shot, some heroes, details, drama, texture and contrast. Several key or meaningful moments should be represented within your story.

You will shoot at least 144 photos for this assignment, and will work hard to keep the style of your work consistent within the story. Create and process your final images so that they hold up individually while holding onto a constant personal style. Above all, your photos must work together to tell the story.

Fulfillment of the assignment in both form and concept
Technical achievement and sophistication in the photography
Visual storytelling using the camera and composition
Success in delivering an engaging and truthful story
Focus on the human element or experience

Students will submit all work in a named folder via StuData. All students must attend the critique.

It’s one thing to step into the role of a photojournalist for a moment or two. It’s quite another to understand the issues involved with the profession completely, especially as the evolution of the photojournalist has been recently accelerated in the direction of extinction. Changing markets, mediums and technologies have placed pressure on those who act as witness and share their visions of unfolding history.

In an effort to connect deeply with these issues, students will identify a topic for exploration which relates to the changing landscape of photojournalism, and produce an essay. This paper will reveal your perspective on an issue facing shooters while providing the reader with a tour of the history, facts and relevant details.

Optionally, you may elect to choose a photojournalist whose work you admire or respect, and focus your thoughts on their work, their process and their impact on the world. You will have to write the same amount and do the same level of work, but with a different emphasis on photography instead of the news industry.

One of the most powerful aspects of photography is the ability to communicate without the use of words. A single image can be used to relate a simple idea or to tell an entire story. A small number of images in a sequence can communicate change and drama. We are constantly being told stories through the mediums of print, television, film and the internet, and often we rely primarily on images to understand the story.

Your next assignment is to develop and create a set of photographs that leads the viewer through a story entirely through visual means. The story is up to you, but it should be dramatic and narrative, and should not simply lead the viewer through a sequence of images, but to reveal change through different story states. Realize that while the idea is important, the images should be strong on their own merits. Your photographs should speak clearly to the viewer by using deliberate compositional elements, and should be technically sound. Sharpness, focus, perspective and lighting should all work together with the subject matter to visually explain the actions of the story.

Create sketches of your story to assist you in making decisions as to camera angle, subject, composition, etc., and to ensure the understanding of your scenes. Use light as a character. Use light to emphasize what you want the viewer to concentrate on.

As the director of this work, you are also responsible for the quality of the acting depicted in your photographs. Make sure your talent is aware of the role they are playing and the idea you are communicating. Be clear, and be dramatic!

You will turn in:

Your ideas/sketches/storyboards
One set of 7-10 outstanding images which tell your story without additional context
Your entire shoot on a flash drive (no deleting).

Your grade will be based on the following standards:

20pts. Fulfillment of the assignment in both form and concept
20pts. Control of exposure and sharpness to show detail and create mood
20pts. Use of the elements of composition to communicate clearly and intentionally
20pts. Use of light to create clarity, contrast and mood
20pts. Effective storytelling through concept and use of the camera

Work will be critiqued on the day the assignment is due, and all students must attend the critique.

Your next major assignment deals with your ability to tell a story using your camera. Instead of working like a photojournalist for this one, work like a director. INVENT your story.

Think of three short stories that you are able to tell to the viewer through the camera. Get inspired by stories you have heard, miniature sections of larger stories, or get inspiration from the drama of real life. Any way to come up with your ideas, you’ll write one sentence each which describes what the story is. Then pick your favorite of the three and create a storyboard (7-12 frames is good, stick figures is ok) showing how you plan to create each composition to tell your story ONLY through photographs.

I’m very glad to let you know that you have homework to do already! This assignment serves several purposes including gathering your contact information and learning about your personal vision for you work, while also forcing you to write a brief but professional paragraph. Ready? Here we go:

Email your instructor as though you are applying for a real, paying internship at a major news outlet. Introduce yourself, describe your interest in photography and in photojournalism in particular, and also communicate your vision for how working for a major news outlet might impact your work. What do you hope to achieve? Provide a link to somewhere this person can find your work online, and lastly provide your full name, email address and phone number (the ones you actually check daily).

As you write, you’ll assume that the recipient knows nothing about you and that you really want to impress them without lying or going overboard. It’s just a paragraph, don’t gush.